Northeastern Pa. student acquitted in cat stabbing

SCRANTON, Pa. — A northeastern Pennsylvania jury has acquitted a college student of an animal cruelty charge in the fatal stabbing of a stray cat in Scranton.

The Times-Tribune reports (http://bit.ly/XDaaD7) jurors on Monday sided with 21-year-old University of Scranton student Peter Freshour, who says he has an immune disease and was worried he'd get rabies.

Freshour testified he first tried to shake off the cat after it latched onto his leg. When he couldn't do that, he said he stabbed it two or three times with a knife.

Prosecutors said police did not notice any injuries on the 6-foot, 220-pound Freshour and that he never mentioned the attack. Freshour's attorney, Paul Walker, says his client has a rare illness called Wilson's disease and was worried about rabies.